We just got back from a few days on the central coast in California. We stayed in Cambria and it has this really nice, long boardwalk right by the water you can take walks on. So Saturday morning we took Kasey and headed down there for a nice relaxing stroll. WRONG! It was horrible! The boardwalk is surrounded by wildlife - squirrels, chipmunks, lizards - even a bobcat was sighted that morning. Well, Kasey was so focused on watching for movement in the grasses, that we could not get him to even acknowledge we were there! We tried everything - prong collar, head halter, his favorite clicker treat, and nothing brought him out of the 'trance'! He pulled on the least the whole time and it was the worst walk we've ever had. He's used to critters, we have squirrels in our neighbor sometimes and there are other moving creatures on the hikes we take on Sundays near home, but for some reason this was different.

Toward the end of the walk, we took him off leash (illegally) just for a few minutes, to see what he would do and he still scanned for animals, but he did what he always does off leash and he'd run a bit ahead, and then stop and look at us and wait for us to catch up.

Is there ANYTHING we could have done to redirect his focus in that situation, or was that just way too out of his distraction ability and we shouldn't expect more from him since we haven't trained there? I'd really like some tools for next time we're in a situation like that.

Did you try correcting him Lori? Have you worked on anything like a leave it command?

I have to admit you are wayyyy braver than I am to have taken Kasey off lead away from home, in a new, strange place knowing he was highly distracted and not listening to you...

Steve, yes, we corrected him with the prong collar - he seemed oblivious! Maybe we were too nice? I think I have Ed's comments about correction training vs marker training in my head! He said he feels bad for the dogs he trained that way, and wishes he knew marker training back then. I am marker training him now, and have been for a couple of months, but we are only at the beginning for heel!

Barbara, the reason we did that was because we hike a lot, and Kasey is awesome off leash. He has always been way better off leash than on. He runs about 3 feet ahead and then turns and waits for us to catch up, then runs ahead again. We go to Mammoth (the sierras in CA) and he is used to seeing critters there. But for some reason this place just really wound him up. When I let him off, he wasn't AS good as our normal places, but he still waited for us, and didn't run off after the squirrels at all - he stayed on the boardwalk with us.

He has never been a good leash walker and I need to fix this because I'm training for Therapy Dog certification, and he needs to walk on a loose leash for that.

 Quote: lori hall

Steve, yes, we corrected him with the prong collar - he seemed oblivious! Maybe we were too nice? I think I have Ed's comments about correction training vs marker training in my head! He said he feels bad for the dogs he trained that way, and wishes he knew marker training back then.

Sure, but remember, you were in a completely new environment for this last "test" - everything about this walk smelled, sounded and looked different than other places you've trained (and that Kasey is well accustomed to). You can certainly deal with the issue using marker training, but as you know, distraction work is a long process of slight adjustments at an incrimental pace. Introducing all new all at once just overwhelmed him. Your dog is still young, it'll take some time before he can over ride the thrill of a novel new environment in favor of your training... he'll get there, but it'll take time.

We've worked hard with Oscar to train him to behave around squirrels when we're out for leashed walks (he's allowed to chase on off leash trail runs and woods walks), but when we occassionally take him to new places - family in Virginia, a beach house on the Cape - you'd think he'd never seen trees before the way his senses go into high gear! It always takes a little firm reminding (and more than one walk) before he slips into the "good boy" groove.

~Natalya

Thanks for the reminder Natalya! I do know that it takes a long time for the distraction part of training. I think part of my problem is that I've put MYSELF on a time schedule for getting him trained for TDI certification, and that's not fair to him or me. Too much pressure. I think I need to just enjoy training for training, and when he's ready, he's ready. I think I'll make training the goal instead of the TDI thing! Sounds easier.

 Quote: Lori Hall

I think part of my problem is that I've put MYSELF on a time schedule for getting him trained for TDI certification, and that's not fair to him or me. Too much pressure. I think I need to just enjoy training for training, and when he's ready, he's ready. I think I'll make training the goal instead of the TDI thing! Sounds easier.

Goals are excellent motivators! The important thing is to stay open to the possibility that your dog may learn at a different pace than your planned training schedule...

I'm jealous that you're even able to work towards a TDI cert - Oscar just doesn't enjoy that kind of work, so I won't ever ask him to do it (as much as I'd love to have a therapy dog).

~Natalya

Could the constant sound of the surf be amping up the distraction level?
As someone who has spent lots of time at the beach I can "tune out" the sound of the water, but my dog has never been to the beach so I can imagine how bizarro and distracting it would be for him.

Does Kasey go to the beach often? I could be way off as I'm no expert.

My sister lives in Cambria. I know the surf is something to get used to, but so is the barking of the seals. They wake me up when I visit.

We live near the beach, so he's heard the surf a lot. I think it was more the animals and a whole new and exciting place!